Not Again
by Urban Magpie
Summary: Chapter 5! This is a series of Zuko/Iroh One-shots/Two-shots maybe? yeah... Don't worry there's no Old Guy x Teenager M-stuff in here, only fluff hurt/comfort! R&R!
1. Not Again

"Not again..." Iroh stared down at his nephew, lying in his arms.

Zuko was breathing in uneven breaths, blood pouring from a wound in his side.

"Zuko, Stay with me... nephew?"

Zuko stared unseeing up toward his uncle, his eyes wide.

Iroh pulled his nephew close, cradling his surrogate son in his arms, which were becoming warm with blood and tears…

"Zuko… Zuko…"

"UNCLE!!! UNCLE!!" Iroh gasped sitting upright on his mat, Zuko was calling from the Kitchen

"IT'S TIME TO GET UP!"

Iroh sighed in relief; it was all just a dream

His nephew's head rounded the corner of Iroh's door.

"Come on, get up! I made you tea…"


	2. A Bad Day at work

A/N Yeah, this is going to be a series of one shots. Probably just fan fics that I write in school or when I'm bored, (which is a lot.) This is one that I wrote this morning in Math and I finished in Language arts ^_^

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

---

Zukos stomped through the door to the apartment, took off his shoes and walked briskly to his room, slamming the door.

"Nephew! How was your…day?"

Iroh looked to the mat by the door where Zuko had discarded his shoes.

Iroh sighed, another bad day at work was apparent and Zuko needed time to cool off…

Iroh retired to the kitchen opting to make some calming tea before talking to his obviously frantic nephew

--Tea Time/ Line Break!—

The night was getting colder, time for bed, Iroh decided.

He extinguished the candles that lit the small apartment and headed for his room, but not before checking on Zuko.

The old man walked to his nephew's room and quietly opened the door

"Zuko?" Iroh whispered "Are you awake"

The form laying on the mat moved, Zuko turned his head to look sadly at his uncle

"Yeah…"

Iroh moved into the teenager's room, and sat next to Zuko.

"So Tell me, loving nephew of mine, how was your day?"

When Zuko didn't answer, Iroh knew it wasn't good.

"That bad huh?

Zuko nodded, staring at the wall…

Iroh patted his nephew's back.

"Things can't always go the way you want them to.."

Zuko nodded again

"I know uncle…"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in thought.

"Zuko?"

"Yes Uncle?"

"I Love you"

Zuko smiled slightly "I know Uncle."

Iroh got up from his nephew's side.

"Uncle?"

"Yes Zuko?"

"I Love you to"

Iroh smiled and headed to bed

A/N: ^_^ I seriously hope this doesn't look too bad when I upload it…

I have another one, but I don't know if I should upload it yet, maybe some reviews would persuade me?

-hint-


	3. 5 More Minutes

A/N Woo! I actually got reviews, not many but some! Shweet! Well yeah, I'm just afraid these stories are gonna' get way too repetitive so If you have suggestions, PM me or gimme' some in a review! It would be soooo appreciated! 3 also: If anyone had a Gaia Online account and want to sort' of Beta read these it would be helpful, or maybe I should use the beta reader thing on here? I dunno' well anyways, here's your Fan fic. Also: Thank you zutarakid50 maybe you would want to pre-read these before I post em' hmm?

Disclaimer: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE!

It was a beautiful day outside, Iroh decided as he sipped at his tea. This was his third cup of the morning, that lazy nephew of his had yet to get up...

Iroh smiled; at least Zuko was resting…

--Tea time/Line break—

12 o'clock rolled around

Iroh knew that Zuko wouldn't sleep tonight if he didn't get up now

He looked to his nephew's room and sighed.

The old Man knocked on Zuko's door, no answer. He went inside.

"Nephew?" whispered Iroh.

Zuko groaned and rolled over.

Iroh walked to Zuko's mat and sat down. He nudged Zuko gently.

"Nephew, time to wake up…" Iroh said louder than before.

"Mmh…" came a muffled reply.

Iroh smiled, Zuko was actually being a teenager today!

"Now Nephew…" Iroh chastised.

"If you don't get up now you won't sleep tonight!" No reaction.

"Don't make me get the cold water…"

Zuko groaned again and rolled over to face his uncle, throwing his arms around Iroh.

"Nooo…." Zuko, mumbled, his eyes still closed…

"O.K. nephew… 5 more minutes…"

But Zuko was already asleep again his head in Iroh's lap…

A/N I just know I did something wrong D; eh… I'll prolly have to revise it later anyway. Here ya' go!

R&R! See that review button? (click it)


	4. Tea Time

A/N Alrighty, today's installment is short (sorry!) Just gonna' say again none of these are A/Us. I don't plan for any of these to be A/Us. Anyway ya' see I wrote this big chapter of Irko Fluff but I seriously need someone to look over it, not because I'm too lazy or anything I just think it needs another pair of eyes to see it before it goes into the public so if anyone wants to Pre read some stuff CONTACT me! Please! This one takes place in ba sing se. oh, and It's about to get very OOC in here…

Disclaimer: DON'T OWN

It was evening in the city of Ba sing se, and Iroh and his nephew were just sitting down after a hard days work.

"Zuko! Did you lock the door of the shop?!"  
Iroh Said suddenly, spilling some of the tea he was pouring

"Yes Uncle, calm down…" Zuko was sitting in a chair at the table reading an Earth Kingdom news paper, finding it utterly uninteresting…

"Good Nephew" Iroh smiled and placed the tea on the table next to Zuko.

"Say, Nephew, you remember the girl we met today?"

Zuko looked up over his paper,

"What about her?"

Iroh smiled "She was very pretty Zuko"

Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle; he can be so strange sometimes…

"I think she's a bit too young for you uncle…"

Now it was Iroh's turn to roll his eyes,

"No, I was thinking about maybe… you and her,"

Iroh nudged Zuko from across the table. Iroh grinned mischievously.

"I was also thinking about becoming a great Uncle.."

Zuko's eyes widened,

"What!?!"

Iroh cringed, "I was only joking nephew! Calm down! You're going to spill your tea"

"Good…" Zuko got up from his seat,

"Anyway, I've got all the family I need right now, here with me."

Zuko hugged his Uncle from behind, and smiled

"Me to nephew."

Iroh smiled as well

A/N told you it was about to be OOC. R&R! and get back to me with that Beta thing!


	5. Just 14

A/N Takes place just after Zuko was banished, so they're still on the ship. This is going to get OOC! (Again…) I wrote the story, and then my good friend ell25 beta read and fixed things up for me! Here's your story!

"Aaa!" A scream was heard from the Prince's room.

Again…

"Uncle!!" It was night aboard the small fire nation vessel carrying the newly banished Prince, Zuko, his Uncle and an assortment of crew members.

"General, the Prince is having another nightmare," a sleepy foot soldier informed Iroh.

"Alright, thank you."

The older man got up from his bed, pulled on his robes and headed toward the Prince's room.

The small room was filled with at least four crew members, and as Iroh entered he could hear not only them bellowing orders at each other but the cries of his beloved nephew.

"Keep him still!" ordered one guard, as two others attempted to hold down the terrified 14 year old. Who, though injured, still managed to put up a fight against the crew. The Prince was tossing and turning blindly, trying to fight off some imaginary adversary.

"No!" he screamed, his visible eye shutting tightly, his other was unseen, covered in slightly red stained bandages.

Iroh walked into the room quietly. Avoiding the chaos he sat next to the bed and laid his worn hand on his nephew's.

"Zuko," he said calmly to his still twisting charge. "Wake up." Zuko upon apparently hearing his uncle moaned slightly ceasing the majority of his thrashings.

"Nephew, come now," Iroh said slightly louder.

Iroh turned to a guard. "You may return to your previous duties." He looked around at the crew whose faces had distorted into a look of awe of Iroh's apparently magic touch. "All of you," he said forcefully and turned back to his nephew. The guards and foot soldiers left, leaving the Prince and his uncle alone.

"Nephew, wake up."

Zuko's brow furrowed; his right eye opening.

"Uncle?" Iroh looked down to his beloved nephew, the poor boy had been through so much and he was only 14. Still too young for this as far as he was concerned.

"Oh, Zuko…" Iroh carefully lifted Zuko into an embrace. The boy was still shaking and breathing heavily.

"Calm down, nephew. Do you need something to drink?"

Zuko nodded and leaned against his uncle, whilst Iroh reached for the cup set upon the bedside table.

The Prince looked down at his shaking hands and then back at Iroh, who, wordlessly lifted the cup to Zuko's lips, allowing him to drink. Zuko sipped slowly, savoring the coolness when it touched his throat. When he was done he leaned back against his uncle.

"Uncle," Zuko whispered.

"Yes, nephew?"

"Did you see? He was so mad…" Zuko sniffled.

Realizing what the young boy was talking about Iroh gathered enough courage to tell Zuko what he had done.

"No, Zuko, I did not…I looked away, nephew…I couldn't bear to see you in pain." Iroh held Zuko tighter, pulling him close.

"Oh." Zuko closed his eye. "You wouldn't have wanted to see."

Iroh could feel Zuko begin to shake, sobs wracking him once again. The front of Iroh's robe became wet with tears.

"Shh, come now." Iroh rocked gently back and forth, he could feel Zuko holding onto him tightly.

"Leaves from the vine

Falling so slow

Like fragile, tiny shells

Drifting in the foam

Little soldier boy

Comes marching home

Brave soldier boy

Comes marching home"

Zuko's grip on his uncle's robe had lessened, and now he was just cuddled in Iroh's lap.

Iroh looked down at the teen again; the bandages on his eye would need to be changed soon. A job neither were looking forward to.

"Prince Zuko, let's try and get back to sleep now."

Iroh yawned and started to get up, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing onto his robe. He looked to Zuko again.

"Uncle, don't leave." Zuko looked utterly helpless, not the child Iroh used to see playing with the turtle-ducks.

"Alright, nephew." Iroh replaced himself on the bed again and gathered Zuko into his arms once more.

"Let's both get some sleep."

Iroh laid down, Zuko next to him, still holding on tightly.


End file.
